Innovations to Control the Environment for Persons with Movement Disorders: Support in Home Care

Abstract

This review focuses on recent innovations and patents with the aim to allow people with movement disorders to control their environment. This particularly includes different technologies for input devices to control computers and other electronic equipment used by persons with movement disorders, enabling the empowerment of this user group. The control of such devices can be the key to social inclusion and mean improved social contact with others, access of information or possibility to work. In this paper, several patents and innovations are described that enable such control, divided into the groups; Input devices in form of switches and touchscreens, Inertia and inclinometer sensors, Voice control and Gesture control. Also methods allowing monitoring and classification of physical activity, i.e. assisting to alarm in case of a fall and systems assisting in rehabilitation at home, are included, as are video games aimed to promote physical activity.